German Life Under the Nazi Regime, 1933-1939: The Average German Citizen's Viewpoint

Catalog description

In this course, we will explore the faces of the period from different perspectives, focusing on that of the contemporary German individual: What did he encounter on the street, in the cinema, and at work? How did the regime address him, and what was his attitude towards those governmental institutions? What dangers was he exposed to, and how did he choose to cope with them? Did he try to resist, or prefer to collaborate and benefit from the new situation? What was it like being a Jew in Germany in those years? Jews were less than 1% of the German population. How did they come to play such a big role in Nazi ideology? The course will be taught using a "hands-on" pedagogy, dealing with dilemmas, raising conversations, and engaging with the materials. We will discuss how to approach the subject and how to adjust the educational content to different ages.